Zula (Earth-616)
Last prince of the Zamballahs | Identity = No Dual | Affiliation = Conan; formerly servant/slave of Shu-Onoru, and of a Kushite war-chief; Bêlit, member of the , the (provisional member), Zamballah ---- Basara, Fafnir, Ispirana, Juma the Black, Khorajan army, , Malthom (aka Amalric), M'Gora, Nefertari/Zabibi, N'yaga, Red Sonja, Sablat, Tania, Turgohl, Yolinda; Ctespon III/Neftha, Geb-Siris, Salbatanu, wretches of the pit below Kherdpur, Wuu (servant in the House of Kheshatta), Zosara; limited alliances with Hobb, Imhotepd/Ravager of Worlds, Count Thespides, Wrarrl/Devourer of Souls, Yasmela; possibly Jenghil of Vendyha | Relatives = Unidentified father (deceased) | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = Formerly the Turanian Steppes; House of Shu-Onoru, Kheshetta, Stygia; Zamballah | Gender = Male | Height = | Weight = | Eyes = Brown | Hair = Black | UnusualFeatures = | Citizenship = Zamballah | MaritalStatus = | Occupation = Sorcerer, swordsman, Last prince of the Zamballahs; former slave | Education = | Origin = Human | PlaceOfBirth = | Creators = Roy Thomas; John Buscema; Ernie Chan | First = Conan the Barbarian #84 | Last = | HistoryText = Origins Zula was of royal blood, as the son of the the chieftain of the Zamballah, a tribal nation south of Darfar. Upon the time Zula was about to undergo his people's rites of manhood, Kushites allies rendered greedy by the price the Stygians paid for slaves attacked the Zamballah, killing his Zula's father and all the men, as they wanted only the female, more docile slaves. First driven by the impulse to enter the brawl, Zula reasoned himself, and didn't attacked even as he saw the backside of his father's murderer. He decided to put the chief's son's ornaments on a slain warrior, and was captured as the last male of his race. Slave in Stygia The Kushite war-chief took a fancy to Zula, and kept him as body-slave instead of selling him right away. He was eventually sold to a Stygian who brought him to Kheshatta. Conan, Bêlit and the Black Corsairs ... After some time, long before three after leaving the Tigress' crew, Zula and the former Black Corsairs eventually went different ways. Varnae, the first vampire, controlled the bat-like humanoids the Afterlings in an altercation with Conan, Red Sonja, and the sorcerer Zula. Zula used the Darkhold against Varnae casting an incomplete incantation that shocked him. Zula apologized to the others, explaining the spell as written was incomplete: "I'm sorry the incantation ended where it did-and only hurt Lord Varnae, rather than destroying him." The spell appeared to Zula in Stygian -- Shemek Iref Wenek Tjhen Inek It-Ek Chthon Djedeni Emm-Maat Wenen Taeei Hemet Ankh-Ek Isheset Antioo Djedte Nes Sep Iree NEn Renek Anhkhu Wi-Im Valka! -- it should be noted that the Darkhold is intelligible in any language. In any event, Zula fled. Zula also used the Darkhold against the Set-worshiping sorcerer Thugra Khotan. Later Red Sonja and Zula traveled to Zamboula, which served as the western part of the Turanian empire. Totrasmek, a priest of the deity Hanuman (not to be confused with the simian Hindu deity called Hanuman), who had been searching for the Darkhold scrolls for years, came into possession of the Darkhold. Zula recovered the Darkhold and used the scrolls, however, to transport himself and Sonja away. Zula noted that the scroll disappeared as a result of using the spell. | Powers = Zula was able to cast spells and use magic. Zula is exceptionally strong & intelligent, and a highly skilled warrior & swordsman, able to hold his own against even Conan, at least for a short time. Zula's magical abilities increased significantly with age, starting with being able to mesmerize others on contact and being able to resist being mesmerized himself. He could use his mesmerism skills to appear to conjure or transform objects or beings, disguise his appearance, or to hide himself from sight. In his later days, he could subdue a man (even Conan) for a few seconds via a touch to the trapezoid, possibly a nerve pinch. He could animate objects, such as a skeleton that he sent to battle a foe. He could fire magical blasts, though this rapidly exhausted his magical stores, or blasts of pure light. He could also utilize the Black Hand, which slew a target, leaving a black hand imprinted on their body. Zula also mastered many forms of science, which would appear as magic to most who failed to understand science. He briefly held one of the Chthon Scrolls (later part of the Darkhold), including spells to destroy vampires, to banish demons, and to perform teleportation. | Abilities = A skilled swordsman. Proficient in early forms of technology and science. Zula spoke Stygian. | Strength = | Equipment = Darkhold | Transportation = | Weapons = | Notes = | Trivia = * Zula frequently invoked Ajujo, as well as ancient Jullah, who may or may not be the same as Gullah, the gorilla god. * In the 1984 film Conan the Destroyer Zula was portrayed as female by actress Grace Jones even though Zula is a maIe character in the comics, ** Kim Wayans' spoof portrayals of Grace Jones on the show In Living Color are based on Grace's performance of Zula in the film Conan the Destroyer. ** Arnold Schwarzenegger complained that Grace was "too tough" during the filming of Conan the Destroyer. | Links = }} Category:Fencing Category:Hyborian Age Characters